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Holly G and Rich B are in the studio on the eve of the final event of the season, the Tour Championship at East Lake. Rich and Holly talk about Billy Horschel’s big win at the BMW Championship that now sets him up for the FedEx Cup Top 5 and the hunt for the FedEx Cup title.
Horschel was in contention the week prior and hit a bad shot toward the end of the tournament that cost him a chance for a playoff and the tournament title. He ended up finishing tied for second.
Todd Lewis, the Golf Channel, calls in from East Lake and talks about Arnold Palmer, who turned 85 today, and how Mr. Palmer always has been “every man’s” champion. Todd said that Arnold has made fan interaction on the golf course what it is today and that has made golf a great sport to follow. Arnold was also one of the integral players in getting the Golf Channel up and running.
Holly and Todd talk about how the Top 5 in the FedEx Cup standings control of their own destinies. If any of those 5 players win the Tour Championship they will win the FedEx Cup title. Todd shares with the listeners that the word at East Lake is “fatigue.” The players require sharp mental focus to constantly contend in the final events.
Todd says that even though weather could play a factor in the tournament, that East Lake has a system underneath the greens that sucks the moisture out of the greens. So you could have soft fairways and hard greens.
Holly asks Todd about Hunter Mahan making every FedEx Cup playoff event since it started, all 32. He mentions that is the first time since 1992 that neither Tiger Woods nor Phil Mickelson qualified for the Tour Championship.
Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in from East Lake to talk to the Golf Insiders about the FedEx Cup and how it is such a convoluted system. Bob wants to have a system in place that everyone can easily follow it. The players need to know going in as well as the fans who is going to win without a slide ruler. Bob thinks that the current way is too complicated. He feels that there is a way better way to do it.
Bob said that Jim Furyk could actually win the FedEx Cup without winning a PGA Tour event all year. A lot of things would need to happen for him to do that, but it actually could happen.
You could win every tournament in the year and if you don’t win the FedEx Cup, you wouldn’t win the FedEx Cup title. Bob feels that all 30 players coming into the Tour Championship should have a shot at winning the FedEx Cup title if they win the Tour Championship. The winner of the final event should win it all.
Steve Eubanks, Global Golf Post, calls in from East Lake to give his thoughts about the golf course and who it favors. Sets up well for McIlroy and Horschel. Is Billy going to be able to hold up under the pressure?
Holly feels that the mental pressure of these final tournaments play a big part of these top pros mishitting shots like Horschel did.
Steve brings up the press conference from earlier where Rory talked about Mickelson and Woods getting older and that injuries and fatigue have worn down both players this year.
Steve wonders what the one thing that is keeping Rickie Fowler from breaking through and winning on the Tour. Rickie has finished in the Top 5 at all 4 majors this year.
Todd Lewis, Bob Harig and Steve Eubanks pick Rory McIlroy to win the whole thing. Rich B picks Rory with Jim Furyk as a backup and Holly picks someone from the field and not the Top 5.
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